Breathing through nose when running

xxthoroughbred
xxthoroughbred Posts: 346 Member
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
How do you do it?! I'm trying really hard to fix my breathing while running, and I just can't breathe through my nose. It starts to burn eventually, and I can't get enough air into my lungs. Is this something I have to build up?
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Replies

  • ladybugss
    ladybugss Posts: 135 Member
    bump
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
    you are supposed to breathe through your nose???? oh my stars I am lucky to get enough air breathing through my mouth....
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    What's the background here? Am I supposed to breath through my nose when running? I'm almost positive that I breath through my mouth, but next time I run, I'll check.
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
    Why? Breathe through both. You're limiting your air a LOT by only breathing through your nose.
  • Emily4H
    Emily4H Posts: 170
    I am no expert - not even close - but I have heard that its okay to breath through your mouth as long as you are comfortable. The friend who told me this runs all the time. I have not researched it at all though.
  • jezzi4ever
    jezzi4ever Posts: 100
    Do you breathe through your nose when you're sedentary? If you don't--maybe if you consciously try to fix that when you're not active, it will help make it easier when you are? Not sure that it will work, but it's a thought...

    I know that I try to take really deep breaths to fill my lungs as best I can... I imagine it will take some time to build stamina that way...keep trying!
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    I breathe through my mouth when I run.
  • azdvlz5
    azdvlz5 Posts: 13 Member
    I wasn't aware that you were supposed to breathe through your nose....I breathe through my mouth...I think I would pass out from lack of oxygen if I tried just my nose.
  • girlnumber57
    girlnumber57 Posts: 72
    Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    How do you do it?! I'm trying really hard to fix my breathing while running, and I just can't breathe through my nose. It starts to burn eventually, and I can't get enough air into my lungs. Is this something I have to build up?

    Stop trying. At some point, when intensity increases, you get the best ventilation by breathing through the nose and the mouth.

    Some runners get totally goofy and obsessive about breathing. What you want to do is learn to relax your arms and upper body (but keep the wrists straight). That will help both your running and breathing.
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
    I breathe through my mouth when I run, too... I've tried the in through the nose thing... and my nose is usually stuffy... so it doesn't work so much for me.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    http://shouldibreathethroughmynose.com












    sike
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
    I find myself always breathing through my mouth as well. I get a stuffy now when running too.
  • Bentrain
    Bentrain Posts: 41 Member
    Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.

    Ditto on this!
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
    When running, you're actually supposed to breath through your nose AND mouth at a steady tempo. If you only breath in through your nose, you are limiting your oxygen intake and will probably not be able to run as far or as fast as you would if you breathe through both.
  • lapamperedchef
    lapamperedchef Posts: 61
    If you have ever met or run with a marathon runner or advanced runner , you can't hear them breathing at all while running. It's crazy! As for running and breathing through your mouth versus nose, I say whatever is comfortable. I breath through my mouth and nose but you can't hear me either way. If you want to try breathing through your nose, bread. Next time you run put a few slices of bread in your mouth while you run. It forces you to breath through your nose. Sounds crazy but it works.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
    I just read somewhere on Runner's World yesterday, that you should breathe through your mouth when your first start out running. (it was among several beginning runners articles I read). I suggest going to their site and doing research on it. I breathe through my mouth when I run, and I chew sugar free gum to keep my mouth from drying out (though there's probably something devastatingly wrong with that! :laugh: ).
  • UpToAnyCool
    UpToAnyCool Posts: 1,673
    I chew sugar free gum to keep my mouth from drying out (though there's probably something devastatingly wrong with that! :laugh: ).

    Oh - my friend! Don't choke on your gum!!
  • jagh09
    jagh09 Posts: 555 Member
    A million years ago when I was fit and active and used to run, I would breath in-in, through the nose then out-out through the mouth. I was focusing on my pace and breathing the whole time. But I don't think it really made a difference! As long as you are breathing and keep moving. That technique was taught to me by an army man, so who knows?
  • xxthoroughbred
    xxthoroughbred Posts: 346 Member
    Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.

    This is what I've been trying to do, but I still struggle. I'm just trying to find a better way to breathe because breathing is what keeps me from running. My posture is great, and I've tried counting and just going with how my body says to breathe, but nothing's been working.

    My doctor advised me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth (for the reasons quoted above).
  • cspence2270
    cspence2270 Posts: 229 Member
    Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.

    Ditto on this!

    My husband, who was a Drill Instructor in the Marines told me to do this. It works.
  • shreddin_mama
    shreddin_mama Posts: 1,076 Member
    I used to breathe through my nose but read at http://running.about.com/od/howtorun/f/breathing.htm that you should do both and it can prevent that side cramping. I tried it today and i felt better and less cramping.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
    I chew sugar free gum to keep my mouth from drying out (though there's probably something devastatingly wrong with that! :laugh: ).

    Oh - my friend! Don't choke on your gum!!
    :embarassed: <--- turning blue... Help... :laugh:
  • FL_Nettie
    FL_Nettie Posts: 265 Member
    Have you tried the Breathe Right Nose Strips? They make such a difference for me when I'm exercising. They're plastic strips that go on the outside of your nose and open the nasal passage. You see football players wearing them. Give them a shot.
  • dave_in_delaware
    dave_in_delaware Posts: 49 Member
    When I started doing the C25K, I was trying to breathe through my nose only. It worked until I started getting deeper into the running, and getting more tired, then my concentration broke and I ended up breathing however.

    After a Week or two I was trying the inhale through nose, exhale through mouth thing. Same thing: I lost concentration on my breathing method.

    By W5D3 (first attempt) I was so tired by halfway that I started breathing through my mouth only, and my mouth got so dry it helped to break my concentration and distracted me enough to where I had to walk.

    After that, I read a few Runners World articles. In particular there was an article about almost meditating on your breathing. How you can get an almost "zen" focus if you concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling and your footfalls.

    So, I tried this while only breathing through my nose. I have it down to inhaling for 3 footfalls then exhaling for 4 footfalls. I sometimes look down at my feet while "meditating" on my breathing (I'm only on a treadmill) just to help with the concentration. I'm not really meditating per se, but I am concentrating on the breathing. I'll catch myself breathing in through my mouth, but then I'll close my mouth and only breathe through my nose again. Only because I don't want my mouth to dry out again.

    So far this "meditation" method seems to be working for me, although the "get more oxygen by breathing in through both" idea makes total sense. Maybe I'll try that next time.

    I guess there's no right or wrong way, just whatever way works best for you.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    i think as long as youre breathing in a normal relaxed way, itll be fine.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    When I started doing the C25K, I was trying to breathe through my nose only. It worked until I started getting deeper into the running, and getting more tired, then my concentration broke and I ended up breathing however.

    After a Week or two I was trying the inhale through nose, exhale through mouth thing. Same thing: I lost concentration on my breathing method.

    By W5D3 (first attempt) I was so tired by halfway that I started breathing through my mouth only, and my mouth got so dry it helped to break my concentration and distracted me enough to where I had to walk.

    After that, I read a few Runners World articles. In particular there was an article about almost meditating on your breathing. How you can get an almost "zen" focus if you concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling and your footfalls.

    So, I tried this while only breathing through my nose. I have it down to inhaling for 3 footfalls then exhaling for 4 footfalls. I sometimes look down at my feet while "meditating" on my breathing (I'm only on a treadmill) just to help with the concentration. I'm not really meditating per se, but I am concentrating on the breathing. I'll catch myself breathing in through my mouth, but then I'll close my mouth and only breathe through my nose again. Only because I don't want my mouth to dry out again.

    So far this "meditation" method seems to be working for me, although the "get more oxygen by breathing in through both" idea makes total sense. Maybe I'll try that next time.

    I guess there's no right or wrong way, just whatever way works best for you.

    i do something similar to this, breathe in through the nose for 2 strides, and out through the mouth for 2.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    How do you do it?! I'm trying really hard to fix my breathing while running, and I just can't breathe through my nose. It starts to burn eventually, and I can't get enough air into my lungs. Is this something I have to build up?

    Stop trying. At some point, when intensity increases, you get the best ventilation by breathing through the nose and the mouth.

    Some runners get totally goofy and obsessive about breathing. What you want to do is learn to relax your arms and upper body (but keep the wrists straight). That will help both your running and breathing.

    Totally agree.

    Listen to yourself, you don't know how to breathe!?

    The shift from nose breathing to mouth occurs when the body needs more oxygen.
    If you can get enough oxygen through your nose, you're either an elite marathon runner pounding out yet another comfortable mile, or you're another lazy person wasting their time with low intensity.

    Fitness gains are from the areas outside of your comfort zone
  • charliebird
    charliebird Posts: 168 Member
    I breathe through my mouth when I run - only because I suffer from a bloked up nose when I run outside!!! The downside I find is the added calories from the flies I consume!!! LOL !!!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    There's no difference between breathing through your nose or mouth, just breathe however you find comfortable! At a steady run I do "in in in" through the nose and "out out out" through the mouth, but any faster than that and I've breathing in through nose AND mouth.

    Watch Paula Radcliffe running a marathon on YouTube. She has a nasal strip to help her breathe through the steady part of the race, but for the sprint finish she's breathing through both.
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